Midlands Heroes: No sign of chequered flag yet for Suzi Perry

Running since 2004, Channel 5’s The Gadget Show has gone through a succession of name and line-up changes, yet has always endeavoured to keep viewers abreast of all of the most exciting tech developments they can get their hands on.

Suzi Perry was instrumental to the show’s early years – one of the cornerstones of a presenting team that also included Jason Bradbury, Jon Bentley and Ortis Deley.

Perry’s tenure on The Gadget Show came to an end in 2012, though she returned for a podcast series with former co-star Bradbury in 2024 which is still running to this day. Despite not having been a public face of tech for over a decade, had she kept in the gadget loop?

“I wouldn’t say I have my finger on the pulse as much as I used to!” she said. “But I love technology – I always have. That’s why I got involved with The Gadget Show in the first place.”

Of course, alongside her time on The Gadget Show and beyond, Perry has enjoyed an incredible career as a sports journalist, notably having made her name in the world of bikes.

“Back in the Nineties I started as a reporter at Sky for World Superbikes,” she said. “I was an enthusiast and I called Sky and said, ‘why don’t you do reviews like this, and features like X, Y and Z?’ And the producer said, ‘who are you?’, and I said, ‘I’m just a fan’.

“He’s actually a legend of broadcasting – Martin Turner – and he invited me down to the Sky studios and we had a conversation and he offered me a job. It was such a bizarre way in, really. Then I had to go and prove myself and learn all about broadcasting. I had an absolute baptism of fire.

“That was how I started. I didn’t realise at the time, but I was the first female reporter in the world in bikes, so they knew they had something a little bit different going on there, and it just sort of grew from there. I had my own show the next year and come 2000 I moved to the BBC because they acquired the rights for the bike racing, so I kind of went with them.

“I started to get lots of different shows, but I always stuck with sport. Live broadcasting is really my favourite thing and it’s quite a niche area. I actually think that what I would call true live broadcasting is quite rare now because everyone uses auto cues and it’s scripted. But it’s great fun to work live, unscripted and from the heart. It’s really exciting and I love it.”

Having also spent time as a Formula One anchor, and a presenter at prestigious events such as Wimbledon and Royal Ascot, Perry’s career highlights are many and wondrous. There is however one particular moment that sticks out in her mind.

“Watching Lewis Hamilton win the world championship,” she said. “I was in the garage with just the most incredible people. Niki Lauda was in there and he came to join us because he liked hanging out with us. Those sort of moments – with Lewis beaming from ear-to-ear, when they’ve worked so hard and they’ve dedicated their whole life and you’re a tiny, tiny little fragment of that because you’re standing in the right place at the right time – that was a highlight for me to be there at that moment. The same could be said for motorcyclist Valentino Rossi, and actually being there throughout his entire career was really special.”

Though now, she finds the way she has helped inspire other women into sportscasting as big a highlight as anything else.

“You get to a certain age in your life when people come up to you and they’re like, ‘I sent you my notes for my dissertation and I got this and now I’m working in Moto GP’, and it’s brought tears to my eyes because you don’t realise,” she said. “Now there are definitely more projects which help girls, and it is lovely now knowing there are a lot more women working in sport and motorsport so I really like to see that.”

In 2024, devoted Wolves fan Perry became an ambassador for the Wolves Foundation, relishing the opportunity to play her part in raising awareness of the charity’s work.

Having initially become involved with the Molineux Memories group, she was ready to help ‘tell the stories’ and raise awareness of the wide range of Foundation projects.

“I have been an ambassador for different charities over the years but I also really wanted to get involved with the Foundation because it feels right,” she said following the announcement.

Recently, proud Midlander Perry has been confirmed as guest speaker at the Black Country Chamber of Commerce’s celebration of this year’s International Women’s Day (March 8).

There’s no sign of the chequered flag for our Suzi just yet…